(1) The first one is a general overview, showing the effect size of strength training alone, endurance training alone, or the two combined on various parameters (lower body hypertrophy, strength, power, VO2max, and body fat).

The results are pretty much what you'd expect – for muscles, combined training is better than no strength training but not as good as only strength training. The biggest surprise is that VO2max gains were essentially identical with and without strength training, suggesting that endurance athletes shouldn't worry about losing out on endurance gains if they add strength training. (Obviously this finding is specific to the protocols used in the studies analyzed, but it's still interesting.)

(2) The second graph shows that not all "endurance" training is the same. Running and cycling have quite different effects:

Wilson et al. offer some theories about why running seems to interfere with strength and muscle gains more than cycling. One is that the cycling motion is more similar to the movements used in strength training (and strength assessment); the other is that running, with its large component of eccentric muscle contraction, produces more muscle damage that interferes with muscle and strength gains. Hard to know which, if either, of these ideas is true, but the results are certainly interesting. Note also that running packs a larger punch in VO2max and body fat loss – perhaps the running protocols in the studies analyzed were simply harder?

(3) The third graph looks for (and finds) a dose-response relationship between the amount of endurance training and the decline in effect size for hypertrophy, strength, and power gains.

Again, not surprising, but interesting to see quantified. Hawley's presentation also outlines some other interesting avenues of research, like the prospect that sufficient protein can reduce the interference effect between the molecular signals stimulated by endurance and training training. As I said, it's worth a look!

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

If there’s one food that no one —
not your doctor, your nutritionist, or even your mother — will tell you
to eat less of, it’s leafy greens. Calorie for calorie, chard,
collards, kale, and other leafy greens may just be the most nutritious
food you can eat. They’re packed with vitamins — A, B, K, and others —
but also rich in essential minerals like calcium, iron, potassium, and
magnesium, as well as antioxidants, which protect cells against damage.
Leafy greens contain phytochemicals, natural compounds that can help
prevent hardening of the arteries and lower inflammation linked to heart
disease. The greens’ synergistic combination of vitamins, minerals,
antioxidants, and phytochemicals helps detox cells and expunge free
radicals that damage DNA, both of which may inhibit cancer cells from
forming and multiplying.

Greens are also your single best
source of natural nitrates, which get converted by the body into nitric
oxide, a gas that lowers blood pressure, promotes blood flow, and can
even improve erections. You produce less nitric oxide as you age —
levels can dip by half after age 40 — which means you need to eat even
more nitrates to keep everything working properly, says University of
Texas biochemist Nathan Bryan. As if that weren’t enough, greens have
been shown to boost mental clarity, prevent depression, and reduce
the risk of diseases like Alzheimer’s. If you’re looking to stay lean,
high-fiber greens help speed digestion and make you feel full, and
they’re low in carbohydrates and calories, so you can practically eat as
much of them as you want. At the very least, aim to consume three to
five ounces of leafy greens a day, says Bryan. Here’s how to get your
fill.

1. Swiss Chard

Why You Need It: This
green is a top source of two important, lesser-known antioxidants:
syringic acid and kaempferol. The former can help stabilize blood sugar
by inhibiting ­enzymes that turn carbs into simple sugars, while the
latter protects cells against cancer-causing toxins, lowers
inflammation, and may also reduce your risk for heart disease, diabetes,
and other chronic diseases.

How to Eat It: Save calories
while boosting your antioxidant intake by using Swiss chard instead of
tortillas to make burritos and wraps. Cut leaves from stems, and steam
leaves briefly. When cool, fill with your favorite healthy burrito
staples: brown rice, quinoa, grilled shrimp or chicken, black beans,
goat cheese, chopped tomatoes, sweet potatoes, or other vegetables;
beans, grains, or grilled meats. Or sauté chard stems in garlic and
olive oil for several minutes; add leaves, pine nuts, and currants; and
cook two to three more minutes before serving.

2. ArugulaWhy You Need It: Arugula
has one of the highest nitrate levels of any leafy green, helping to
­increase blood flow and therefore enhance performance. It’s also packed
with flavonoids — antioxidants that fight heart disease and even some
cancers. New research suggests it may also prevent ulcers.

How to Eat It: Arugula can be slightly bitter, so dress it in a salad with a fruity vinaigrette to counter the bite.

Why You Need It: Of
all leafy greens, collards are best at binding your stomach’s bile
acids, which can help lower your cholesterol levels and even protect you
from some cancers. Collards also contain a special class of
phytochemicals that nourish the body’s natural detoxifying system.

Lay a piece of parchment paper over a baking sheet. Pour the melted
chocolate on the paper and, using a spatula, spread out until it’s about
1/4-1/8” thin. Drizzle the almond butter over the chocolate. Run a fork
over the almond butter and chocolate to create the swirl pattern. Let
it set in the freezer for one hour.

Remove the bark from the freezer and, using a large knife, roughly cut into 1” square pieces.

Sprinkle with the coarse sea salt (optional), seal in a jar or bag, and place in the freezer to enjoy when you like.

Friday, September 19, 2014

Thursday, September 18, 2014

As a SuppVersity reader you either take creatine or do at least know that it's the #1 proven ergogenic your money can buy!
What I am pretty sure, though, is that you didn't know yet that
creatine will not just make your muscles big, but also your liver
clean... clean or rather free of fat.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has been associated with
obesity and decreased insulin sensitivity. A fatty liver is considered
the hepatic manifestation of the metabolic syndrome ("Liver Enzymes the
#1 Marker of Insulin Resistance!?" | learn more),
if creatine would effectively protect the increase in liver fat, which
is the hallmark of NAFLD, it could thus eventually make the transition
from the fitness community into the mainstream.

Monday, September 15, 2014

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- An Indiana University study has found that three
easy -- one could even say slow -- 5-minute walks can reverse harm
caused to leg arteries during three hours of prolonged sitting.
Sitting for long periods of time, like many people do daily at their
jobs, is associated with risk factors such as higher cholesterol levels
and greater waist circumference that can lead to cardiovascular and
metabolic disease. When people sit, slack muscles do not contract to
effectively pump blood to the heart. Blood can pool in the legs and
affect the endothelial function of arteries, or the ability of blood
vessels to expand from increased blood flow.
This study is the first experimental evidence of these effects, said
Saurabh Thosar, a postdoctoral researcher at Oregon Health &
Science University, who led the study as a doctoral candidate at IU's
School of Public Health-Bloomington.
"There is plenty of epidemiological evidence linking sitting time to
various chronic diseases and linking breaking sitting time to
beneficial cardiovascular effects, but there is very little experimental
evidence," Thosar said. "We have shown that prolonged sitting impairs
endothelial function, which is an early marker of cardiovascular
disease, and that breaking sitting time prevents the decline in that
function."
The researchers were able to demonstrate that during a three-hour
period, the flow-mediated dilation, or the expansion of the arteries as a
result of increased blood flow, of the main artery in the legs was
impaired by as much as 50 percent after just one hour. The study
participants who walked for 5 minutes each hour of sitting saw their
arterial function stay the same -- it did not drop throughout the
three-hour period. Thosar says it is likely that the increase in muscle
activity and blood flow accounts for this.
"American adults sit for approximately eight hours a day," he said.
"The impairment in endothelial function is significant after just one
hour of sitting. It is interesting to see that light physical activity
can help in preventing this impairment."
The study involved 11 non-obese, healthy men between the ages of
20-35 who participated in two randomized trials. In one trial they sat
for three hours without moving their legs. Researchers used a blood
pressure cuff and ultrasound technology to measure the functionality of
the femoral artery at baseline and again at the one-, two- and
three-hour mark.
In the second trial, the men sat during a three-hour period but also
walked on a treadmill for 5 minutes at a speed of 2 mph at the
30-minute mark, 1.5-hour mark and 2.5-hour mark. Researchers measured
the functionality of the femoral artery at the same intervals as in the
other trial.

Friday, September 12, 2014

We begin to lose skeletal muscle mass in our mid-20s. But it turns out this loss is mostly confined to our faster (speed and strength) muscle fibers, with our slow-twitch (endurance) fibers resistant to atrophy. Since faster fibers power our race stride, the result is reduced stride length and a slower pace. But faster muscle fiber loss is not a fait accompli. This is a case of use it or lose it. Unfortunately, most masters runners don’t “use it.” That’s because workouts like distance runs and tempo barely touch faster fibers. To recruit 100 percent of your available faster (and slower) muscle fibers—and to teach your nervous system to use them simultaneously and efficiently—you’re going to have to include sprint workouts. And no sprint workout is more effective than hill sprints.The workout:Find a hill that’s steep, but not so steep that you can’t manage an approximation of your normal stride. Sprint uphill for 6-10 seconds at 95% effort, then walk slowly down the hill for recovery. Do 4-8 reps. Next, sprint downhill for 8-15 seconds at a controlled 85-90 percent effort, walking slowly up the hill for recovery. Do 4-6 reps.

Read more at http://running.competitor.com/2014/09/training/fast-40-master-stride_113559#t4TxAv4I3Ve4ZTDX.99

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Welcome to Burden of Proof, a regular column in which
Julia Belluz (a journalist) and Steven Hoffman (an academic) join
forces to tackle the most pressing health issues of our time —
especially bugs, drugs, and pseudoscience thugs — and uncover the best
science behind them. Have suggestions or comments? Email Belluz and Hoffman or Tweet us @juliaoftoronto and @shoffmania. You can see previous columns here. Read More at http://www.vox.com

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Not obese, but sick! The cardiometabolic markers were higher in
diabetic subjects than in non-diabetic subjects in both obese and
non-obese subjects. But hey, the real news is still that non-obese
individuals comprise more than half of all persons with diabetes in
population of 17,098 men and 17,199 women who participated in a
voluntary health checkup program between 1998 and 2006 conducted in
Japan.

Monday, September 8, 2014

Vitamin C supplements dosed at ONLY 250mg of vitamin C has beneficial effect on the aerobic capacity of footballer children
Before and after 10 days of the use of ascorbic acid, the mean and
standard deviation of the aerobic capacity of the experimental group
were respectively 3.59± 0.38 and 4.23 ± 0.77 and of the control group
were 3.7 ± 0.40 and 3.7± 0.53, respectively. Therefore, there was a
significant relationship between the use of ascorbic acid and placebo in
terms of aerobic capacity (p ≤ 0.5)from www.suppversity.com
|

Saturday, September 6, 2014

Friday, September 5, 2014

One of the joys of my work is being able to share information about
little known healing options. My exuberance only increases when the
remedies I write about are inexpensive, non-toxic and widely accessible.
So today is a very happy day for me! The following is positive
research on a humble, traditional remedy that could help me, you and
many people we know.
Several studies presented in
peer-reviewed, scientific journals reveal that warm foot baths (WFB) can
be powerful medicine. For starters, they acutely reduce arterial
stiffness and promote improved blood flow to the heart. These effects
have been documented in healthy adults and in those with coronary artery
disease. WFBs also improve the quality of life of cancer patients by
decreasing sympathetic activity
(stress) while providing natural pain relief. Additionally, one trial
found that warm foot bathing reduces fatigue and insomnia in those
undergoing chemotherapy.
In short, WFBs benefit those with or without serious medical
conditions. What’s more, these benefits can be applied quite easily. All
that’s called for is to submerge your feet and lower legs in water for
about 20 – 30 minutes. However, longer dunks may afford additional
benefits, such as regulating skin temperature in seniors with compromised circulation.
The water temperature used in most of the published research ranges
from approximately 104°F – 109 °F. In comparison, a hot tub or jacuzzi
typically maintains a water temperature of about 104°F. So, perhaps they
should be renamed “hot body baths”? And, now if you’ll excuse me, my
(hot) foot bath awaits!

Thursday, September 4, 2014

Enhancing Longevity and sustainability in training

Sleep: First and foremost, you want to have more optimal hormone
levels, recover faster, achieve optimal health, live longer, etc, you
need to sleep uninterrupted for 7-8 hours.

Focus on eating a Nutrient Dense Diet of non-processed foods.
Perfect place to start is with a Paleo diet, and then use that as a
template.

Consumption of enough calories to sustain training levels along with
consumption of enough individual macronutrients to sustain the type of
training/exercise you are performing (This is an individualized thing
based on type of training, fitness goals, etc)

Adaptability! Listen to your body. If you are feeling tired, beat
up, etc, take it easy. If you are feeling full of piss and vinegar, get
after it. Be able to adapt your training program (individually or
through a coach) from day to day based on how you are feeling. A
potentially more accurate way to listen to your body with what is going
on physiologically with you is through monitoring your Heart Rate
Variability (HRV). You need a heart rate monitor which can easily hook
up to an app on your smartphone, such as Joel Jamison’s BioForce HRV or
iThlete. If your HRV score is Red, and you have a killer session
planned, adjustment of your training program for that day is needed.
Utilization of a personal coach, whether remotely or in person, is
extremely useful in this regard.

Supplement wisely. This also is highly individualized based on training, goals, diet, etc.

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

More than a century after their discovery, we still don’t really know what blood types are for. Do they really matter?

•

When my parents informed me that my
blood type was A+, I felt a strange sense of pride. If A+ was the top
grade in school, then surely A+ was also the most excellent of blood
types—a biological mark of distinction.
It didn’t take long for me to recognize just how silly that feeling
was and tamp it down. But I didn’t learn much more about what it really
meant to have type A+ blood. By the time I was an adult, all I really
knew was that if I should end up in a hospital in need of blood, the
doctors there would need to make sure they transfused me with a suitable
type.